Measuring hunger in several degrees of
food access and availability – food security – provides
a dynamic picture of how many people are hungry or are at risk
of experiencing hunger. The US Department of Agriculture and the
Census Bureau administer a survey each year to determine the extent
of food insecurity in the United States.
Food Insecurity
Men, women, and children living in food
insecure households don't have access to enough food for an active
and healthy life. While family members are not currently experiencing
hunger, at least one member has had to reduce or stretch the nutritional
content of meals to feed themselves.
Food Insecurity
with Hunger
A subset of food insecurity, these are households in which food
security is severe enough that at least one person experiences
hunger. These households can't juggle resources or stretch food
to make sure everyone has a nutritionally adequate diet.